MJW – Freelance Writer, Blogger, Interviewer

5 Minutes With…Stacie Stewart

I spoke to Stacie Stewart – TV chef, Channel 4 presenter, MasterChef finalist, DJ, and owner of Eat Naked – an awesome clean eating deli in Brighton. Stacie told me about her new project with Caorunn Gin, what music she needs in the gym, and what Eat Naked is really all about.

Is there one aspect of that time of being involved in MasterChef that you are particularly proud of?

A really memorable moment was John and Greg really praising my dish and putting me through to the semi final. I’d made a lot of improvements since the quarter finals so I was beaming with pride.

Tell us about Eat Naked!

It’s Brighton’s first, clean-eating deli. There’s a cold pressed juice bar plus we sell grab and go breakfasts and lunches and lots of raw desserts too. We even have a frozen yogurt bar for a clean treat to take to the beach! Our ethos is to keep items affordable, even when they’re organic.

Outside of the foodie world you are a big music fan, tell us about it and what your current go-to tune is.

At the minute I’m loving Maverick Sabre; I need this on constant repeat on my gym playlist! And James Brown is a consistent favourite.

What advice would you have for someone who doesn’t think they can cook, or are terrified by the mere thought of trying to make something from scratch?

Don’t worry about it – just give it a go. Keep experimenting with simple dishes then your confidence in the kitchen will build. And remember that most recipes can be adapted to your taste.

Tell us about your partnership with Caorunn Gin – how did that come about and what are your plans?

I teamed up with Caorunn to create a range of tonic recipes for people like myself who eat healthily and exercise regularly and don’t want to ruin their efforts at the weekend. Everyone should have the opportunity to make better choices when it comes to their drinks and our collaboration has made that available to people.

The tonics I created blend natural ingredients such as fresh turmeric and cold pressed organic juices to compliment the delicate botanical flavours in the Caorunn gin. Caorunn and I very much have the same ethos of using natural ingredients which are handcrafted to create something wonderful.

How did your passion for food began, and what inspired you to get started?

My Nana, Jean, was a big inspiration. She wasn’t always the best of cooks but she taught my nine cousins and me to make bread from the age of four! That early experience definitely ignited a passion in me. My Nana instilled in us about using natural ingredients which is why my collaboration with Caorunn is such a perfect match. They handcraft the gin using foraged ingredients from around the distillery which I really admire.